Large-Area OLED Shipments Set to Increase 18.8% in 2026

Shipments of large-area OLED panels are projected to increase by 18.8% year-over-year, reaching 38.8 million units in 2026, according to Omdia. This growth is primarily attributed to OLED displays for monitors and notebook computers, which remain strategic priorities for South Korean manufacturers. In contrast, total large-area display shipments, including LCD models, are forecast to contract by 2.3% to 916.9 million units.

While demand was front-loaded during the first half of 2026, overall requirements for large-area displays are expected to soften throughout the year. This deceleration reflects rising component expenditures, geopolitical tensions, and increasing global economic uncertainty. Specifically, large-area LCD shipments are expected to decline by 3% to 878.1 million units, with total segment revenue falling by 1.7% to $69.9 billion. However, OLED shipments for notebooks and monitors are forecast to grow by 66% and 34%, respectively, mitigating the broader revenue decline.

Revenue figures will also receive support from a market transition toward larger LCD television displays. Shipments of panels smaller than 65 inches are expected to decrease by 5.9%, whereas those measuring 65 inches and above are forecast to rise by 8.4%. "Prices for memory, CPUs, and other PC components are expected to continue rising in 2026. Consequently, PC prices have increased since early in the year, dampening consumer demand," stated YS Chung, Practice Leader in Omdia’s Display research practice.

Television brands and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are also contending with elevated component costs. However, unlike the IT sector, it is challenging for TV manufacturers to pass these expenses to consumers through higher retail pricing. Once brands complete their initial display procurement, panel orders are expected to diminish starting in the third quarter of 2026, leading to a projected 2.5% decrease in TV display shipments for the year.

“Despite challenging conditions in the broader market, large-area OLED shipments are projected to rise in 2026. South Korean manufacturers are driving this expansion by reallocating capacity at Gen 8.5 OLED facilities from television displays to monitor panels. Additionally, Samsung Display and BOE will initiate mass production at Gen 8.6 IT OLED plants by mid-2026, focusing on notebook applications,” Chung added.